Explosion leaves hole in roof of Northwest Peoria house

PEORIA — An explosion that police believe may have been a large firework left a hole in the roof of a Northwest Peoria home Saturday night.

Neighbors of an elderly woman at 3442 W. Yorkshire Dr. approached a Peoria County Sheriff’s Department officer after hearing a large explosion and seeing a bright flash above the elderly woman’s house around 11:12 p.m. according to a police report. Police found the resident inside her kitchen unharmed but rattled.

The resident stated to police that she had just turned off her lights throughout her house and had gone to her bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, at 11:12 p.m., she heard a loud boom and saw a bright flash. Seconds later she saw a large, jagged hole in the ceiling above her head.

Police found two red pieces of loose cardboard that they stated in the report was consistent with large fireworks. Police took to the roof and saw that the metal roofing bent inwards, indicating that the explosion took place above or on the roof.

The explosion caused $1,000 in damage to the resident’s roof. An unknown suspect is wanted on charges of possession of explosives or incendiary devices and criminal damage to property.